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Live and learn

There are a few things I wish I knew before I went travelling. Somethings are quite obvious, others I learnt the hard way.

​The good thing about going on an adventure is what you learn along the way: things about you, things about your location and things about life more generally. However, there are times when I'm out somewhere in a random country and I think to myself, I wish I knew this before I set off.

So here are a list of 7 things that I wish I knew before travelling. If you have any hints/tips or things you found out the hard way, feel free to leave a message in the comments section or Tweet me @travellingsingh.

Don't take too many clothes

On my first solo trip, I took a fair few t shirts and vests and wore very few of them. I never made the same mistake again.

Clothes in South East Asia especially are incredibly cheap and unless you want to return with an overflowing bag, I'd suggest buying tops, sandals, shorts etc. while you are away. Taking a backpack full of clothes also means less space for souvenirs but it really is an unnecessary extra weight.

There are a few exceptions If you think you will be going to any posh bars or restaurants, bring some smart shoes/shirts from home. In certain locations away from big cities, these clothes can be hard to come by, and in South America or Europe these are not much cheaper than the UK..

Book tour excursions abroad

I booked a tour to Northern Thailand whilst in England, and although relatively cheap, I was surprised just how much I could have saved had I booked it in Bangkok. Since then, on most tour excursions, I have tried to book in the country I'd want to do it. Firstly, its cheaper and secondly you can always haggle to bring the price down further.

One thing I was worried about was the quality of the tour. If you book at home with a well known company, you can be somewhat comfortable knowing you will be in good hands. This is definitely a point to consider as my experience has been mixed, however, on the whole I must admit that with the confidence of a few trips under your belt, you can begin to differentiate between legitimate tours and those that just want your money and will provide a below par experience.

I stumbled across this quite accidentally. There's been a couple of occasions where I have either (a) forgot to exchange currency, or (b) not been able to exchange currency due to a lack of available money (this is especially true for locked currencies such as Boliviano's but also surprisingly for more common currencies such as Peruvian Sol and Brazilian Real).

Exchanging money at the airport is a big no-no as they will absolutely fleece you, but exchanging your money at your destination usually works out better. In fact, in Lima I was surprised by just how little commission they charged.

A word of warning: always have some sort of idea of what the exchange rate is (I usually have an app) this will ensure you don't get taken advantage of.

In the years since I started travelling, FinTech has really taken off. Amongst the most useful of new technologies and ideas is the commisionless foreign exchange offerings, of which Revolut and Monzo are two most famous. I used Revolut quite extensively, beginning with my long term stay in the United States, and you can read my review here.

Learn key phrases beforehand

Tlay bonmaan? Learning key phrases before you set out is very useful, in fact, you may need it much sooner than your first location. The trip from the airport to your hostel/hotel can be very expensive if you don't ask for the cost before you set out.

I have a few words and phrases that I always learn, no matter what my destination and subsequent trips have built on the phrases that I think are most useful.

Hello

How are you?

Good

How much?

How long?

Where can I eat?

I'm sorry

Thank you

Goodbye

Those are the key phrases I always learn in a local language, I can then build on these. If you can count to ten, thats actually quite a useful skill, especially when it comes to money

Take Google Maps screenshots

Whenever I go abroad, even if its to Europe, I will switch off my mobile data to avoid any charges. The only time I connect to the internet is when there is wifi available, which, lets be honest, is almost everywhere.

However, there will be times when you find yourselves in situations or locations where you definitely need the help of a map. I've been lost on a number of occasions, perhaps most frustratingly in Santiago, Chile. On other occasions I have searched for a hostel before I set off on a long bus journey, however, when I arrive I have completely forgotten in which direction to walk (Madrid, Spain).

A handy thing I found is to take a couple of screenshots before you set out. One from a distance that gives you key information about the general area you will be in, and one zoomed in on your location so you know what landmarks or buildings to look out for.

Always have access to extra cash

I dont tend to use my cards abroad due to the proliferation of fraud in certain places (which is ironic because some of the biggest fraud happens in London's property market).

I always tend to take local currency, however, I always inform my bank I am going away and take my card with me just in case. Its easy to misjudge how much you are going to spend. I have managed to under-spend in some locations and over-spend in others. Having access to your bank card or a little extra cash kept separately from your spending money could be useful for that last taxi to the airport, or to get you through that final day.

Sometimes, you can do activities you may not have planned. I had to get my bank card out when I went zip lining through the Cambodian jungle. I had to do the same in Bangkok when I realised just how cheap (and high quality) the tailored suits are there.

Know your rights

This is absolutely key, and is useful to everyone, but unfortunately, especially Sikhs or other races/religions that are susceptible to being profiled.

Its important to take a copy of airline regulations in the local language of your destination as having evidence while expressing your concerns can make all the difference. It's important to understand that rules and regulations are not the same in every country so you should know what you can and cant do.

Being stopped by Peruvian Police wasn't great, but I knew my rights and got through the ordeal unscathed. Having sniffer dogs go through my bags in Bangkok wasn't my idea of fun, but again I knew what they were and werent allowed to do and so I managed to ensure I would not be inappropriately threatened. Being questioned by immigration in Toronto, Amsterdam, Bolivia, Madrid (among others) was not great either but in each situation I knew my rights and got through the process.

If you are unsure of your rights as a Sikh, be sure to check out the section on knowing your rights.